1. Partially cover the hole in bottom of pot with a pottery shard to prevent soil from spilling out. Fill the container with potting mix to 1/2 inch below the rim.

2. Wearing gloves to protect against spines, arrange potted plants on the soil until you like the design. Place shorter or trailing plants around the perimeter of the container. With a small trowel or your fingers, scoop out planting holes as deep as rootballs, then slip plants out of their nursery pots and set them in the holes. Gently tamp the soil around the base of each plant.

3. Spread mulch evenly over the soil surface. Water thoroughly but infrequently, letting the soil dry out between waterings.